Nearly every culture in the world uses social media. However, there are some subtle differences in how and why we use social media, and it can have surprising effects on our mental health.

Harvard University professor and social scientist Arthur C. Brooks, who’s had no shortage of insights regarding living a happier life, recently shared how, when he first began teaching, his American students tended to display a “brighter” disposition than their non-American counterparts who leaned more “cynical.”

Now, that dynamic has flipped. His immigrant students seemed more “cheerful,” while the American students appeared more “jaded.”

This anecdotal observation matched the finding in the World Happiness Report, showing English-speaking areas (America, Canada, Britain, and even Australia and New Zealand) ranking at the bottom for happiness.

A pattern hidden in plain sight

So, Brooks began investigating their........

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